The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) met in Washington, DC during the American Horse Council’s Annual Meeting on June 21, 2010 to discuss the next steps, strategies and goals of the organization.

“After four successful years of educating the industry about owning responsibly, the issue of unwanted horses and possible solutions to the problem, the UHC feels it is time to undertake additional activities and goals,” said former UHC Chairman, Dr. Tom Lenz, DVM. A strategic plan proposed by the UHC Steering Committee was presented to the attendees for approval. The plan lists 4 major goals: continue to develop and distribute educational materials, expand awareness and involvement with current and potential member organizations, collaborate with the horse industry to develop solutions through various types of clinics and wellness programs, and finally to develop resources for equine care facilities.

The plan, which was unanimously approved by UHC members, suggests that the UHC become more involved in working with organizations and equine care facilities. The UHC will move further past the goals of educating and informing the industry, and become a central clearinghouse for resources, information, clinics, and programs. The organization will take action in developing and implementing models for castration clinics, euthanasia clinics and hay/feedbanks. In addition, the UHC will produce a series of webinars dedicated to topics prioritized by the UHC Facilities Committee. A listserv for equine care facilities will also be created in order to foster communication between facilities.

In addition to the strategic plan, the UHC appointed a subcommittee to research funding mechanisms for clinics and programs. The subcommittee, chaired by AAEP Executive Director David Foley, will study the legal ramifications and financial issues in accepting and distributing funds.

“The UHC hopes that with the new strategic plan in place, the industry will observe the commitment and increased efforts in finding solutions for unwanted horses and focus on the public awareness and new involvements,” said Dr. Lenz.

Dr. Douglas Corey was elected as the new Chairman of the UHC, replacing Dr. Lenz who has been Chairman the UHC since its inception. “I’m very proud of the accomplishments the UHC has made over the last few years in raising awareness of the unwanted horse issue and providing education on responsible ownership. I know that Dr. Corey, with his vast experience in equine welfare, will do an outstanding job of leading the coalition forward as we continue our efforts to decrease the number of unwanted horses,” said Dr. Lenz.

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The Unwanted Horse Coalition

The mission of the Unwanted Horse Coalition is to reduce the number of unwanted horses and improve their welfare through education and the efforts of organizations committed to the health, safety and responsible care and disposition of these horses. The UHC grew out of the Unwanted Horse Summit, which was organized by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and held in conjunction with the American Horse Council’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in April 2005. The summit was held to bring key stakeholders together to start a dialogue on the unwanted horse in America. Its purpose was to develop consensus on the most effective way to work together to address the issue. In June 2006, the UHC was folded into the AHC and now operates under its auspices.